Tufts Students Are Diverse in More Ways Than One

The energy of the Tufts community is due in no small part to the mix of people. Jumbos come from a range of backgrounds and bring diverse talents, opinions, interests, and experience to the table. It almost makes more sense to talk about "diversities" rather than "diversity."

We invite you to explore our many centers and resources in our interactive Diversity Map.

Diversities

Geographic Diversity

Tufts students come from most of the fifty states and nearly seventy countries – from Cape Cod to the Florida Keys, from Long Island to the Rio Grande Valley, from Brazil to Bahrain.

About 16 percent of Tufts students come from overseas, bringing with them a different culture and often a different language. The International Center serves as an academic and social resource for international students, working to raise intercultural awareness, increase knowledge of immigration laws affecting the Tufts international community, and advocate a campus climate that respects cultural differences.

Racial and Ethnic Diversity

Tufts students are racially and ethnically diverse. Each year, approximately 30 percent of students identify as students of color. Student-run clubs and organizations on campus include the African Student Organization, the Arab Students Association, Association of Latin American Students, Caribbean Club, Chinese Students Association, Emerging Black Leaders, Filipino Cultural Society, the Hellenic Society, Hindu Students Council, Japanese Culture Club – and the list goes on.

Socioeconomic Diversity

Since 1852, Tufts has been committed to the vision of its founders to educate all people, regardless of their socioeconomic background. Today, more than 40 percent of Tufts students are financial aid recipients and 10 percent receive Pell grants. Approximately 10 percent of students are the first in their family to attend college. Tufts meets the full demonstrated need of all admitted students. Read more.

Sexuality and Gender Diversity

We are proud that at Tufts, women take especially strong roles in the sciences and engineering. One third of Tufts engineering students are women, and the percentage of female faculty is almost 10% over the national average. The Women's Center, part of our Group of Six, is a space open to all students interested in topics and issues broadly related to the experience of women and gender. In the School of Arts and Science, Tufts women’s, gender, and sexuality studies major is open to people of all genders interested in an interdisciplinary approach to studying the history of sexuality, queer theory, and the way gender roles influence social, political, and economic life around the world.

Tufts' LGBT Center supports the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students, faculty, staff, and alumni in an intentional and welcoming environment. Tufts boasts a number of LGBT student groups (like the Queer Student Association), a first-year peer leader group (Team Q), and an LGBTQ-themed housing unit (Rainbow House). Along with the LGBT Center, these groups sponsor speakers, movie nights, and other social and educational events for LGBTQ students and allies. All Tufts students who are living on campus may live with a roommate of their choosing, regardless of gender. The greater Boston area is particularly welcoming to its large number of LGBT students. Massachusetts not only is famous for being the first state to legalize same-sex marriage, but also has some of the strongest antidiscrimination statutes in the country.

Religious Diversity

Tufts students are Christians and Jews, Muslims and Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs, atheists and agnostics. The University Chaplain provides interfaith services and programs and serves as an umbrella for religious life at Tufts. On campus, you’ll find weekly Buddhist, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Jewish (Reform and Conservative), Hindu, Muslim, Protestant, and Quaker services. Off campus, the Medford/Somerville area is home to a number of religious communities.

Tufts professors in the Department of Religion are specialists on Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Chinese religions, Christianity, and Islam. The Judaic studies major combines the study of the languages, religion, culture, and history of the Jewish people.

Intellectual Diversity

The heart of our diverse community is a student body with different ideas, opinions, and perspectives. In the classroom, Tufts students are engineers and artists, scientists and writers. Outside the classroom, Tufts students are Democrats, Republicans, socialists, athletes, photographers, ROTC cadets, journalists, volunteers, dancers and a cappella singers. All have an intellectual curiosity and passion for ideas that drives discussion in class and out.

The Group of Six

The Group of Six is a collection of centers that work together and independently to develop knowledge of and appreciation for diversity at Tufts. Staff members at each center advise and advocate for specific constituencies and serve as resources for all students, faculty, and staff. They are the Africana Center, the Asian American Center, the International Center, the Latino Center, the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center, and the Women’s Center.